Improved boiler-feed regulator



UNTTED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

ILLIAM WEBSTER, OF MORRISANIA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED B'OILEPt-FEED REGULATOR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,523, dated November 3, 1863; antedated October 25, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WEBSTER, of Morrisa-nia, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Regulating the Quantity and Signalizing theHeight ot' the Water in Steam-Boilers, Src. 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make a part of this specieation.

The nature or' my improvement consists ot' two parts: First, in the combined and mechanical arrangement of well-known devices, s) constructed and operated that in consequence of the slightest expansion ot' a tube I am enabled, by means of a valve or pump, to supply and regulate the height of the water in steam-boilers.

The second part of my improvement consists in the application and use of a whistle or alarm, when operated by and connected about mid- -way of and with the same expansive tube, by

means of a clasp or other well-known device, that in consequence of the failure of the supply of water in the steam-boiler the expansion of the tube over and above that required to operate a valve or pump will reach or eX- tend to that part of the tube to which the clasp is secured, and open the steam-valve to the whistle, which will admit the steam from the boiler to the whistle and sound an alarm.

The followingis a description of its construction and operation, in which Figure 1 in the drawings represents a front view of my apparatus. Figs. 2 and 3 represent a side view of the brackets through which the tube passes. Figs. et and 5 represent a side view of a bracket and cap,which each end ot' the tube is screwed into, and one end is firmly held. Fig. 6 represents an edge view of an open mortise. Fig. 7 represents a side view of a clasp, and the letters herein refer to the said igures and to the parts of the said drawings; and Fig. 8, the steam-boiler.

A, Fig. 1, represents a brass tube, which is or about on aline with the water in the boiler, and passes through several brackets B loosely. One end of this tube is permanently attached to another bracket, C, which has an aperture Y through it into the tube, and to this bracket C is connected a water-pipe, l),which is to be attached to the steam-boiler R, below the waterline, as shown at S. The other end ofthe tube A is permanently aftixed to a cap, E,which has an aperture through it into the tube, and tol this cap E is to be connected the steam-pipe T from the steam within the boiler R.

F and Gr, Fig. 1, represent two mechanical devices,which, in order to be understood, I will call traversing-bars. Oneend of the bar F passes through the cap E, and is held on the outside by a screw-nut, a. The other end is attached to a wire or rod, b, which has a setscrew nut, V, or it may be attached to some other device in order to open a valve or shift a belt from one pulley to another pulley, such as are commonly used with pumps. The other traversing-bar, G, has one end passing through the clasp H, and is held by a screw-nut, e. This clasp is rmly clamped to the tube A by bolts. (See Figs. 1 and 7.) The other end of the bar has attached to it a standard, I,which is placed directly under and nearly against the valvestem J of the steam-whistle K.

U is the steam-pipe to the whistle. This whistle, as well as the tube A, can be attached to the base or frame L in many diii'erent ways.

M M are two slotted brackets,in order that the apparatus can be adjusted to any height that the water may be required in the boiler.

N and O, Fig. 1, represent two pawls. One end ot' each is held within the open mortises P P by a screw-pin or bolt,which acts as and is a fulcrum to said pawls, as shown at c e.

The other ends are tapered to a point and t.

into notches in the angle part of the traversing-bars F and G, as shown at ol d.

Q and Q', Fig. 1, are two other open mortises to guide and steady the traversing bars and pawls.

rI he apparatus to be properly adjusted to the height to which the Water is required within the boiler is ascertained after the admission ofthe Water and of the steam from the boiler into the tube A, to be expanded and contractedviz.: Should I, by trying the second gage-cock, nd steam and Water, and also steam and water, as low down in the tubeA as about one-halt` of its length, the apparatus is at its proper height, (some engineers carry more or less water than others; if so, the whole ap` paratus may be adjusted higher or lower,) but in adjusting the apparatus should the steam in the tube A be farther than one-half way of the length Vof the tube toward the whistle, (which may be ascertained by wetting the fin- Ager and touching the tube,) then the appara tus wants to be adjusted lower, but should the water in the tube be pressing too hard on Y' the steam end then adj ustthe apparatus higher.

Now, after the apparatus has been adjusted according to the height. of water the engineer wishes to carry it, and the valve should not open or closeto admit or shut oft' the waterto the water within the tube will find its level- With the water within the boiler through the Water-pipe D, thus allowing the steam from the boiler through the steampipe T to enter the tube A, and in consequence of the tempera-ture of the steam being higher than that of the water,which has just left that part of the tube, the tube is expanded lengthwise, carrying forward with it the cap E and the bar F, and in consequence of the resistance given to it by the pawl N, which acts as a fulcrum to the bar F,'the other end of the bar, together with the wire or rod b, is drawn down, as represented by the dotted line, which will open a valve or operate on a belt to a pump. When water has again reached the desired height within the boiler, it will also increase within and iill the tube A, cooling and contracting it, thus allowing the bar F and Wire or rod b to recede to its original position, also allowing the valve to be closed or the pump to cease Working; but should the valve or pump fail to work, or water fail to reach the boiler, and

the water within the boiler still be decreasing,

the steam within the tube A will expand, a farther part of it, to which is attached the clasp H, or its equivalen t, carrying it forward, thereby opening the steam-valve to the whistle K, by means of the same and similar mechanical arrangement as used for the water-viz., the traversin gbar G, pawl O, and standard I will sound an alarm, and will continue to do so unless the steam is shut oft' from the boiler, or the water is again sufficiently raised within the boiler R and tube A. v

An apparatus thus constructed and selfoperating is of great utility, keeping the water in the boiler atauniform height, saving a large per cent. of fuel, and is also a great safeguard against accident to the boiler.

Having fully described the construction, operation, and some ofthe many benefits arising from the use of my improved water-regulator and sigualizer, l will proceed to describe what I claim.

What I claim as new, useful, and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi l. The combination of the traversing-bar,

awl and eX ansive tube as arran ed con- 7 7 7 structed, and operated, substantially as de` scribed, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the water-regulator, an alarm, when arranged, connected, and operated as described, and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. MEAD, 4 Jol-1N W. MEAD. 

